Pantera, a 16-month-old black Labrador who recently joined the Chicago Police Department‘s organized crime division, is part of a new initiative to recruit law-enforcement canines from shelters instead of expensive breeders. Pantera was adopted from a local animal shelter in May for just $98.

Officer Steve Martinez visited the Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare League at least four times before picking Pantera based on the dog’s “high degree of maturity and strong drive.” After extensive training in various drug detection techniques, Pantera became an official police dog, the youngest certified narcotics detection canine in city history.

Since joining the force, Pantera has recovered evidence and assisted in search warrant executions with the narcotics section, the department said.

His new position thrills the Animal Welfare League, which took Pantera in after his original owner’s landlord banned pets.

“I’m hoping he’s the first of many (to join the department),” said Terri Sparks, the shelter’s marketing and public relations director. “It shows that shelter animals aren’t people’s leftovers. We’ve got a lot of good dogs here.”

A German shepherd named Taz, who was almost 2 years old when he was assigned from the city police’s K-9 unit to do search and rescue at the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attack, has died.

Taz was the last of the dogs involved in the attacks to still serve on the force. He died of cardiac arrest last Sunday, the Police Department said.

Taz would have been 10 years old on Oct. 31 and had served in the Canine Emergency Service Unit, where his duties consisted of searching for evidence, suspects and missing persons. (The average age of the K-9 dogs is 5 years old, and their working careers generally last 6 to 10 years.)

Dogs have served the New York Police Department since 1908, when five dogs were promoted to be full-fledged members of the department, complete with badges. At the time, using dogs in crime work was relatively novel and the project was kept secret for months. At the time, a skeptical newspaper (that would be The New York Times) noted the possibility that the dog unit could be “laughed out of official existence.”

But in the last 90 years, dogs have become an integral part of investigations, in everything from search and rescue to sniffing for evidence. During the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack, an average of eight dogs were on duty for each of two 12-hour shifts every day, according to the Police Department. The dogs typically worked 30 minutes at a time, then were given breaks.

The department currently has around 40 dogs — mostly German shepherds and bloodhounds — that work with its Emergency Service Unit officers on rescue and recovery missions, with other police dogs are assigned to the subways. Search-and-rescue police dogs were deployed for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

In a statement, Taz’s handler, Officer Scott Ryan said, “His passing is not just a loss to me, my family and fellow K-9 officers, but to the city that Taz and his K-9 comrades so proudly and
courageously served.”

Officer Ryan added, “I will ride with my partner Taz for the last time, as I head to Hartsdale Pet Cemetery to bring his ashes home.”

A SUSPECTED cat killer is being hunted after poisoning up to 10 moggies. An investigation is under way after the cats in Fenham, Newcastle, became ill and died of poisoning.

Now Dave Harrison and Mary Scott, who between them have lost seven cats, are appealing for help in catching the culprit.

Mr Harrison, 40, of Nafferton Place, Fenham, is now planning on leafleting local residents and starting a website in a bid to catch the culprit.

He said: “It seems someone in the area is maliciously poisoning cats which is just awful to think of.

“I know some people don’t like cats in their gardens but there are ways of deterring them without killing them.

“I lost four cats in six months and I won’t let our current two cats out of the house. I’m going to set up a website and put on pictures of the cats which have died to try to put a stop to this.”

The RSPCA is investigating after the spate of cat deaths.

It is not known what is being used but common substances such as weed killer and anti-freeze are known to be poisonous to cats.

Miss Scott, 34, of Rudchester Place, Fenham, has lost three cats in the last few months.

She said: “I think it’s someone doing it deliberately.

“There have been 10 cats that have died of poisoning in the local area.

“It’s a sick person who is doing it. They must not be right in the head. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to do it.

“It can’t just be someone protecting their garden.

“I think it’s a cat hater.”

It is thought other residents in the area have also lost their pets to the poisoner.

Insp Claire Hunt, of the RSPCA, said: “We are investigating the deaths of several cats in the area.

“While we don’t know for sure if it is being done deliberately, there can be no other explanation other than that they were poisoned.

“It’s unpleasant to think of someone going round poisoning cats and if anyone has any information about what has been happening we would like to hear from them.”

Anyone who can help or who wants to report acts of animal cruelty should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

Officials did not specify the role that each man played in the incident, which received international attention after a video of it appeared on YouTube.com March 3.

Lance Cpl. David Motari is being processed for removal for his role, the Marine Corps said, and Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion also has been punished.

The video shows someone throwing a black-and-white puppy off a rocky cliff. The dog makes a yelping sound as it flies through the air.

“That’s mean. That was mean,” someone off-camera is heard saying.

YouTube removed the video about a day after it was posted, “due to terms of use violation,” the site said.

The Marines were quick to condemn the video when it surfaced, calling it “shocking and deplorable.”

Marine officials said the disciplinary action followed a thorough investigation, according to a statement that the Marine Corps Base Hawaii released Wednesday.

“The actions seen in the Internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine and will not be tolerated,” the statement said.